The Camden journal. [volume] (Camden, S.C.) 1866-1891, 1887-08-11
'Rq ANUcK:"
A sanguihaty Custom Pecul-
lar to Oriental Chimes.
0pium-0razed Nan Seized With a Sudden
@Dairs to Kill.

Il ~Ste~p ~ S~a~s
Two instances bare recently appeare'
in our columns Of that strange and san
culinary custom 4 ttisaEast called run
ming amuck." Running amuck" is
phrase derived rom the Malay wore
"amok" cIMss") and constitutes
well marked hyshrical affection of Ger
tain races inhabifng Oriental countries
1t is rarely if Wer, manifested among
the Indian Mussllmans, while, wheneve
it does occur in aindoostan, the malad,
may generally b traced to the abuse o
opium or the .atract of hemp called
bhang, ganja, o charras. The Hindoc
tobacconist sell special confectior
made up of lhang, opium, datura,
cloves, mastic cinnamon, and carda-
NUNS which, mixed with milk and
sug ar and cate as swectmeat. This
diabolical cake known as majum-will
drive man rld about as soon as any
thing. With 1e Malays, however, who
have given nne to the terrible mental
alteration of hich we speak, and who
are by far the pst addicted to it of all
Eastern .peopl. there is seldom any
such explanstist the outbreak. Sud-
denly, without ly@e Of reason, a man
will spring up rom his shop board or
couch, draw hhkris-the wave-bladed
dagger which icy all carry-and, with
a scream of "Aokl Amokp strike its
pointinto the3art of the nearest way
fafer and dartpwn the crowded bazaar
like the lunatii which he is, stabbing
and cutting all sides. "Amok!
Amok!" echoesrom a hundred mouths,
and everybody yaurries for a place of
refuge, fleeing Iall directions, except
those bolder Its who snatch up
weapons of del pse and join tho armed
throng whichpursues the desperate.
The path of II chase is soon strewn
with bodies ofaen, women and chill
dren, dead or seeding to death, until
some lucky shto daring thrust disables
the murderer, Sh"t. is pierced with a
dozen blades a. sooas ho falls. to the |
o,ounaL 0cskS;sai,y ~ rdssafaaS
", ''amoker Jas received Sbme per-
sonal affront olhjury or was hopelessly
in debt or dippointed in love; but
more commonlthere is nothing what
ever to accounfor tfe:wild fury of his
proceedings, "a the street sweepers
drag his carcaaaway as carelessly as if
a leopard had en slain in the public
streets. So esnary, indeed, is the oc-
curenoe that many towns and cities
where there Lis lsxge Malay popula-
tion an instFrep5 is kept in readiness at
every police stain called the 'amoker
catcher" It is 6mething like an eel
spear with a HMong handle, and SO
close round asdmau's neck and Sc
cure him b kssly when the iron
prongs are against his nape
from behind:
Neither raj nor, wealth keeps q
MalaS from tt sudden access of homi-
cidal mania ifb has the predisposition
or has been gritty excited. There was
an instance atalatiga, in tho island OF
Java, where tE Regent was celebrating
the marriagef two of his daughters,
and everybod was in festive and joy
Gus mood. IT, however, at tho gayest
thceremonies the Regents |
brather-in-laH high Official, came
tbza.h the procession, stab
bing everybo1 he could get at with
his jeweled kh The Regent himself,
up toaquiro into the uproar,
was killed bya single thrust, and 1t
was the broth of the Prince who ran
the s'amoker',hrough the back with
spear and brosht him down, yet not
before he hadlaughtered nine OF the
palace people ad wounded six Others
more or less sevely. It might be supposed
that race sulpct to such ferocious fits
would be rturally excitablc and
nervous in maner; but the contrary is
the case. The Malay is of all men tho
most quiet, digifcd, and slow ofspeech
and action in Is ordinary life. He sell
dom speaks judly or quickly, has the
most courteoa and even gentle de-
meanor, and uarrels very rarely with
his fellows. Yet he is coldly and
silently cruel no regard for human
life, and derivesfrom the Mohammedan
faith which he rofesses its .bitterest and
most relentless 9gmas. Once started on
the ''death rum by insult, despair, or
some brain trouble, his only thought is
to "kill, and kill and KILL" and in the
fierce exultation ,f his insanity ne does
not feel the bloA which lets out MS
burning blood nd puts a stop to bis
dreadful career. 4[Loudon Telegraph.
Arlste cratic Hens.